Mufti urges Modi to use Vajpayee doctrine on Kashmir; engage stakeholders in talks
Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on Thursday said that a lasting solution ought to be found to the problems confronting the restive State in order to make peace a reality “not only here but in the entire South Asian region.”
She asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to make a renewed effort towards the resolution to the problems in the State by engaging all stakeholders in a process of dialogue and reconciliation and use the Vajpayee doctrine towards for amicable way out.
Ms. Mufti who is also president of ruling Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) and was speaking at its 17th foundations day at the party headquarters in Srinagar, at the same time, denounced what she said is senseless violence perpetuated on the streets of Kashmir resulting in colossal human and economic loss for its people. “Let us rise as one to meet the challenges confronting Jammu and Kashmir and make this a turning point in the State’s turbulent history so that our future generations have not to suffer the miseries of violence and bloodshed,” she said.
She once again expressed grief over the loss of ‘precious lives’ in the three week long turbulence in the Valley and said violence is doing incalculable damage to the image of State as also to its vital economic and social interests including tourism and education.
Calling for ‘introspection’, she said the people have to ponder over why such horrible situations crop up in Kashmir when the economic activity starts picking up as had happened this summer with encouraging tourist arrivals. “There seems to be larger design behind such orchestrated eruptions to push Kashmiris into perpetual economic deprivation and social disorder,” she said and added that Kashmiris are made to pay a huge price by way of their life and livelihood in each such cycle of violence.
She said it has been observed time and again that such “hideous situations” have only hurt the interests of Kashmiris the most. “We have to think over it that how long it is going to be like that for the hapless people here,” she said.
The Chief Minister called upon the country’s political leadership particularly Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, to make a renewed effort towards the resolution of J&K’s problems by engaging all the stakeholders. “I am sure the country’s political leadership will pick up the threads and carry forward the reconciliation and resolution process started by Atal Bihari Vajpayee in 2003,” she said and insisted there is urgent need for taking concrete steps to win hearts and minds of the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
Ms Mehbooba said the PDP-led government had in 2002 sparked political, economic and social activity on a phenomenal scale in Jammu and Kashmir facilitating complete transformation of the ground situation. “Although most of the political pundits, at that time, viewed and dismissed the PDP’s enterprise and act of hope with skepticism and ridicule, but the party discerned the imperatives of the history and stood like a rock against the winds and waves of various hostile forces,” she said and added that responding to the people’s innermost yearning for peace with dignity, PDP crusaded the policy of repairing their hurt psyche, salvaging their bruised dignity, kindling a new hope in their hearts and motivating them to mould their destiny through a participatory political process.
“The result was there for all to behold,” she said and added that fortunately, the country’s leadership, at that time, also understood and appreciated this rejuvenating and hopeful political transformation in the State and responded in good measure through substantive CBMs.
